Official List of All Accredited Medical Courses in Nigeria

This article is about the list of all accredited medical courses in Nigeria currently in this year 2024 that can be studied at any of the accredited medical schools in the country. In Nigeria today, there are accredited medical courses offered in the universities apart from Medicine and Surgery. These are very important courses that are interrelated with one another and we will be looking at the official comprehensive list of these disciplines studied in many of our Nigerian tertiary institutions.

Truth be told, many young science inclined secondary school leavers who are seeking admission into Nigeria’s tertiary institutions almost always choose Medicine and Surgery as their first choice course, then they add any other science course as second choice with the mindset that if they cannot get the first one, they will rely on the other one as back up.

This almost always never materialises into a provisional admission for Medicine and Surgery as only a small number of these prospective university undergraduates are considered to study the course.

But instead of putting all of one’s eggs into one basket, and attempting multiple times to get an MBBS and falling just short of the required marks needed to carry one through the finish line into medical school, people should be made aware that there are other medical courses that are equally important in the field of medical science.

These disciplines are in fact interrelated and can enable one to work with medical doctors and in hospitals as well as in private practice, making sure that in the end, the goal is to save lives. We shall look at these courses as we proceed.

ACCREDITED MEDICAL COURSES OFFERED IN NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIES 2024: FULL LIST 

We have complied a list of all Accredited medical courses available in our country’s higher institutions this 2024, you can tell us what you think in the comment section below.

MEDICINE AND SURGERY 

Widely regarded as the most important course to study in medical science, Medicine and Surgery is the field of health that deals with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of diseases as well as the use of medical research to understand certain health conditions. When described alongside surgery, it is also known as the field of medical science that employs cutting, abrading, suturing etc., in the treatment of injuries, diseases and other health disorders using manual or instrumental means. Professionals in this field are called medical doctors.

It is one of the best courses in the country and one beautiful thing about studying this course is that the graduate can either choose to go into general practice or become a specialist in any of the fields covered by the course. Some of the aspects of medicine include paediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology, oncology, internal medicine, community health, cardiology.

NURSING/NURSING SCIENCE 

Nursing or Nursing Science is another aspect of medical science that is involved with treatment of individuals. Apart from medical doctors, nurses also play a huge role in the care of sick patients, making sure that they are very well attended to in order for these patients to make full recovery to optimal health status. Nurses are excellent caregivers and places where they work include hospitals, doctor’s offices, the community, and their own private practice.

PHARMACY 

Pharmacy is a branch of medical science that deals with the practice and the technique of preparing, preserving, compounding and dispensing medicinal drugs. It is one of the courses that majority of the science students in Nigeria who are prospective university undergraduates think of after Medicine and Surgery given that pharmacists earn really well in the country. Pharmacy is also one of the professional courses in Nigeria in which graduates in the discipline are inducted into a professional body. This discipline serves as a link between the health and chemical sciences, ensuring that drugs are safe for consumption and effective in relief.

DENTISTRY/DENTAL SURGERY 

Dentistry is an aspect of medical science that deals with the treatment of diseases that affect the teeth and gums. This course covers the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of disease conditions of the mouth and is a good advocate for healthy oral care and oral hygiene. In dentistry, a dentist is assisted by dental assistants, dental hygienists, dental technicians and dental therapists to treat patients who suffer from one form of oral condition or the other. The course is a very good course and lucrative as well. People who love to promote oral healthcare would naturally fall in love with this discipline, what is needed is the passion and any of the best dentistry schools in Nigeria to choose from.

MEDICAL LABORATORY SCIENCE 

Another medical course that is very good to study in the university is Medical Laboratory Science. This course is very important in the medical field due to the fact that medical laboratory scientists work with doctors and other health professionals to determine the cause of a disease. As their name implies, these set of medical professionals work in the laboratory, and the lab is seen as the engine room of a hospital, without which it cannot function effectively.

Medical Laboratory Scientists also are inducted into a professional body upon graduation from the university. Part of their job function involves chemical, hematological, immunologic, microscopic, and bacteriological diagnostic analyses on body fluids such as blood, urine, sputum, semen, stool to mention but a few. Apart from hospitals, medical laboratory science has relevance in reference labs, biotechnology labs and non-clinical industrial labs.

BIOCHEMISTRY 

Biochemistry is another good course that is of great significance and relevance to the medical field and biochemists are sort after at health facilities to work with other medical and health professionals to promote quality Healthcare. Biochemistry is the study of the chemical processes that occur in living organisms and this course is really needed to tackle health issues that affect individuals in the society. Biochemistry is similar to molecular biology  and its subdivisions include molecular genetics, protein science and metabolism. This course enables graduates to work in clinical laboratories, research centres, biotechnology labs and non-clinical industrial labs as well.

MICROBIOLOGY 

Microbiology is the study of living organisms that are too small to be seen with the naked eyes. This course is significant in the medical field as it helps in determining the causative organisms of a particular diseases, giving insight on how to best tackle these disease-causing organisms and relieving the patient of the resulting illness. Microbiologists as well as medical lab scientists and biochemists play a significant role in the laboratory of many hospitals and research centres.

PHYSIOTHERAPY 

Physiotherapy is the science of using mechanical force and movements, manual therapy, exercise therapy, and electrotherapy, to promote mobility. Physiotherapists are very important to medical science in the sense that they help patients who have suffered serious injuries, illness or disability that has affected their movement to recover greatly through manual therapy, education and advice. These health professionals maintain health for people of all ages, helping them to manage pain and prevent disease.

OPTOMETRY 

Optometry is a medical course that deals with the examination of the eyes. It is also the medical diagnosis and management of eye diseases. Optometrists diagnose and manage eye disease and help to correct refractive error by issuing spectacles to patients who need them. These eye doctors work in synergy with other eye specialists such as ophthalmologists and opticians to make sure that people receive good eye care.

VETERINARY MEDICINE 

Veterinary medicine is a medical course which deals with the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease, disorder and injury in animals. It is a lucrative profession as well as people who rear and train animals require their services to give proper healthcare to these animals. Veterinary medicine also involves the treatment and provision of healthcare to wild animals that are in need of them when rescued by humans.

RADIOGRAPHY 

Radiography is another medical course which incorporates the specific skills of radiation in the treatment of certain diseases. This course applies medical imaging such as X-rays, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), nuclear medicine, positron emission tomography (PET) and ultrasound to diagnose and treat diseases of certain origins. It is a very important aspect of medicine and a very lucrative profession as well. Professionals in this discipline are known as Radiographers.

Other accredited medical courses offered in Nigerian universities include:

• Anatomy
• Biomedical Technology
• Human Nutrition and Dietetics
• Medical Rehabilitation
• Nutrition and Dietetics
• Pharmacology
• Pharmacology and Therapeutics
• Physiology
• Prosthesis and Orthopaedic Technology
• Public Health Technology